(Story courtesy of WVLT News)
TENNESSEE (WVLT) Several East Tennessee leaders and politicians have reacted after news broke that Charlie Kirk, a well known conservative political commentator, was shot at a Utah Valley University event Wednesday.
Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said he is praying for Kirk in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Similarly, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn took to X to also say she was praying for the conservative advocate.
Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, who represents Tennessee’s third district in the U.S. House, put out a call for condemning political violence.
“Any form of political violence against anyone in our country is pure evil and must be loudly condemned by every single American,” the representative said.
His call for condemning violence was joined by a lengthy X post from Tennessee Representative and Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison.
Our nation has been on a dangerous path for some time. Division, pain, hatred, and destructive actions seem to know no limits.
In the days ahead, blame will be cast, and anger from every side will boil over.
But before the finger-pointing, before the outrage and rage-baiting, can we pause and remember a deeper truth? Every life is sacred. Every person carries immeasurable worth, because we are created in the very image of Almighty God. He alone is our Creator, and He alone can save us from ourselves. – Jeremy Faison, via X.com
Across the aisle, the Tennessee Democratic Party released a statement also condemning the shooting.
“Today another act of senseless violence occurred in Utah. Violence has no place in a civil society and we condemn this act of terrorism in the strongest possible terms,” Party Chair Rachel Campbell said. Her call to end violence in politics was echoed by her vice chair, Nathan Higdon.
“There is no excuse for acts of heinous violence. There is no place for it in our politics, in our country, or in any civilized world,” Higdon said.
Kirk is the co-founder and CEO of Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization. Videos on social media captured the shooting, showing Kirk speaking into a microphone under a white tent on campus.
A single shot is heard ringing out, and Kirk is shown reaching towards himself as blood rushes from his neck.
